Roger's Bloodline

Beneath the Giant stood the five Shichibukai. Though they appeared tiny compared to the Giant, their presence was even more formidable than that of a Headquarters Vice Admiral.

A Marine colonel excitedly spoke to his companions.

"Hawk-Eye Mihawk, Flamingo Doflamingo, Tyrant Kuma, Shadow Mage Moria, and Pirate Empress Boa Hancock. Even the Shichibukai have become our fighting force. There's absolutely no need to fear the Whitebeard Pirates."

Those morale-boosting words greatly strengthened the confidence of the surrounding Marines.

Beneath the execution platform stood three seats, occupied by the Marine's highest fighting force—the Three Admirals: Kuzan, codenamed Aokiji; Borsalino, codenamed Kizaru; and Sakazuki, codenamed Akainu.

The three Admirals were the Marine's pillars. In the hearts of the Marine soldiers, as long as the Three Admirals were present, even the Four Emperors were no match for them.

Three people stood atop the execution platform. Ace, bound in Seastone, knelt in the middle. Beside him stood Sengoku the Buddha, commander of the war.

Garp, the Marine hero, sat beside Ace with a deeply desolate expression. His identity as a Marine allowed him only to accompany his grandson on his final journey.

Though Sengoku understood that Garp would not act recklessly, he still gave him a stern warning.

"Garp, don't entertain any improper thoughts. Remember your identity."

"I know. I won't do anything reckless."

Garp listlessly waved a hand. All he wanted now was to speak honestly with his grandson. The two sat quietly together before Garp slowly opened his mouth.

"Ace, why couldn't you just follow my arrangements and become a Marine? What am I supposed to do now?"

Garp's tone grew increasingly sorrowful. In the end, he could only grit his teeth as tears fell. The iron-blooded man who never cried had ultimately shed tears for his family.

Seeing his grandfather in such pain, Ace could only lower his head miserably.

"Old man..."

"Garp, you..."

Though Sengoku could not bear to see his old friend grieve, he could only turn away so he would not have to look at him.

From that moment on, the Marines had arranged the Den Den Mushi for the live broadcast. Every minute and every second of this war would demonstrate the Marine's strength to the world.

Audiences before screens across the world watched the coming war with rapt attention, unwilling to miss a single detail.

This war would determine the future direction of the world. If Whitebeard fell, the forces of the New World would be reshuffled. If the Marines were defeated, the order established by the World Government would be shattered.

A moment later, Sengoku composed himself, picked up the Den Den Mushi, and announced the words that had long been prepared.

"Ace, state the name of your biological father."

"My father is Whitebeard."

Sengoku's gaze beneath his glasses was grave as he exposed the lie in a heavy voice.

"No. Your mother was named Portgas D. Rouge. One year and three months after your father's death, a baby carrying the world's most evil bloodline was born. That baby was you."

Ace's expression worsened with every word, and he even began to feel nervous. The secret he least wanted anyone to know was about to be revealed to the world.

Sengoku did not hesitate to speak the truth.

"Your father was the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger."

The news swept through everyone present like a whirlwind, leaving even those beyond the screens utterly stunned. All eyes turned toward Ace in shock.

A reporter who had intended to record the entire war even dropped his notebook without noticing. Still dazed, he muttered to himself.

"The Pirate King's bloodline... is actually still alive..."

The middle-aged reporter's eyes were filled with disbelief. He could not imagine that, after the massacre twenty-two years ago, the Pirate King's child had somehow survived.

Twenty-two years ago, in order to eradicate the Pirate King's bloodline, the Marines had sent a massive force to the island where the Pirate King's wife had lived and slaughtered every pregnant woman there. Better to kill a thousand by mistake than let even one escape.

Thousands of pregnant women had died. Back then, he had been an inexperienced newcomer, yet out of righteous indignation, he had risked himself to investigate and report the matter. In the end, however, the newspaper owner had suppressed it.

The Marines had never imagined—or perhaps simply did not care—that the Pirate King's wife might have already been moved elsewhere. After all, Roger had turned himself in, so he had plenty of time to arrange his affairs.

Hancock, who had been looking forward to reuniting with Sal, unexpectedly turned to look at Ace.

"So Ace isn't Luffy's biological older brother. I thought his father was Dragon too."

The Marines throughout Marine Headquarters erupted. They had never expected Pirate King Roger's bloodline to still be alive, only for the Marines to capture him in the end. Today, Roger's legend would be ended here, and every one of them would bear witness.

Overcome with grief, Garp suddenly recalled the scene of Roger entrusting his child to him all those years ago. Enemies and friends alike, the two men had ultimately made one final promise.

"Roger, I broke my promise."

Sengoku's voice continued to spread across the world through the Den Den Mushi.

"Two years ago, we had already noticed you. But Whitebeard had noticed you as well. To cultivate the next Pirate King, he took the descendant of his rival and made him his son."

Ace tried to refute him.

"No. I boarded his ship because I wanted to help Pops become the Pirate King."

Sengoku's words mercilessly shattered his illusion once more.

"That is only what you believed. In truth, we could not act against you freely for the past two years because Whitebeard had been protecting you all along. If we allowed you to remain unchecked, you would surely realize your potential to stand at the very pinnacle of piracy.

"Therefore, executing you today carries immense significance. Even if it means going to war with Whitebeard, we will not hesitate."

Sengoku's declaration raised morale once again. Many Marines had already begun imagining themselves becoming heroes of the world after this war.

"Oh..."

Just as Sengoku believed morale was high, a communications officer brought him terrible news.

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, for some reason, the Gate of Justice has opened automatically. We can't contact the control room either."

"What?"

Sengoku's expression changed.

The unaware Marines continued shouting noisily, only to fall abruptly silent as though choked off. Amid the mist-covered horizon, the silhouettes of ships gradually emerged.

A huge number of pirate ships broke through the fog and truly entered the Marines' sight, making the Marines who had just been brimming with confidence tense up.

Their approaching enemy was the Whitebeard Pirates' fleet of forty-seven pirate ships. Even the weakest captain among them had a bounty exceeding one hundred million Beli. This was the most powerful pirate grand fleet in the New World.

They had somehow passed through the Gate of Justice without anyone noticing and were charging toward them.

The captains of the leading pirate ships were all renowned pirates of the New World, and their strength was no less than that of Headquarters Vice Admirals.